TOPS CLUB News:
TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds SensiblySM), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, has begun unveiling its top “royalty” from 2022 for 2023.
TOPS® royalty are women and men who, at the end of the year, have officially recorded the largest weight loss from their starting weight, regardless of the time taken to reach their goal. Laurina Matuska of White Rock, who lost 84 pounds, is the 2022 New Mexico Queen. She was honored April 21-22 at the New Mexico state recognition event at the Albuquerque Elks Lodge.
TOPS provides an individual approach to weight loss and overall wellness. Consistent group support, health education, and recognition are all key components to successful weight management. New Mexico has an adult obesity rate of 34.6%. During 2022, TOPS members in New Mexico lost a cumulative 1,129 pounds.
“We are tremendously proud of our TOPS® members’ weight-loss accomplishments,” said TOPS President Rick Danforth, who has maintained a 100-pound weight loss for nearly 20 years. “Through their TOPS membership, these individuals are able to celebrate their own life-altering accomplishments, as well as of other members and those that have come before them. By continuing their commitment to personal lifestyle changes, a hallmark of TOPS’ winning formula, TOPS members utilize the tools they are given and the assistance from their peers to achieve their weight loss goals.”
Weekly meetings are the heart of TOPS support, whether they are held in-person or online. In-person meetings start with an optional weigh-in, with members then sharing challenges, successes, or goals, followed by a brief program covering a variety of health and wellness topics, and may conclude with awards and recognition for the week. Visitors can attend their first TOPS in-person meeting free of charge and are encouraged to try more than one chapter, since they’re all a little different.
For online membership, meetings are conducted via Zoom and are offered at least five times during the week. The meeting starts with members disclosing challenges, successes, or goals. Next, the online facilitator presents a prepared program and sometimes includes guest speakers who share their expert views on fitness, nutrition, and more. Meetings conclude with action steps related to the program presented.
Membership is affordable, starting at $49 per year in the U.S. and $59 annually in Canada, plus nominal monthly chapter fees. Join TOPS, visit www.tops.org, or call 800.932.8677 to learn more about TOPS and to find a local chapter.
About TOPS®
TOPS Club Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is the original weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded in 1948, TOPS is the only nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss organization of its kind. TOPS promotes successful weight management with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.®” philosophy that combines support from others at weekly chapter meetings, healthy eating, regular exercise, and wellness information. Today there are about 65,000 members, including men, women, and international members who join chapter meetings online, with thousands of chapters in all 50 states and Canada.